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Hiroshige's One Hundred Famous Views of Edo: The Definitive Collector's Edition
A landmark book presenting the early "deluxe" versions of Hiroshige's Edo prints for the first time!
Utagawa Hiroshige's unique landscape series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (modern-day Tokyo), first published in the 1850s, is among the best-known collections of Japanese prints and was revolutionary in its day. Individual prints from this collection are regarded as among the finest works in all of Japanese art.
In this series, Hiroshige captures 118 locations in and around Edo, today's Tokyo, during all four seasons and often from hitherto unknown and unique perspectives. These views were first printed in exquisite luxury versions, incorporating innovative woodblock printing features like color gradation. No complete set of the early versions exists today and this is the first book to present a complete set of the deluxe early printings, sourced from 32 different museums and private collections.
Author Andreas Marks consulted 4,700 prints in compiling this volume in order to provide a definitive guide to the various printed versions along with reference images showing how and where Hiroshige sourced his ideas for each view--from previous books and illustrations. The result is a definitive guide to understanding the complexity of Hiroshige's great work as well as the dynamics of the Japanese print market during this period.
Marks' introduction discusses the genesis of the series in the context of Japanese landscape art as well as Hiroshige's personal biography. The book then presents all 118 prints together with their source materials and a map showing the locations of each view, followed by a detailed appendix discussing the great color variations found in subsequent printings of the series.
Utagawa Hiroshige's unique landscape series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (modern-day Tokyo), first published in the 1850s, is among the best-known collections of Japanese prints and was revolutionary in its day. Individual prints from this collection are regarded as among the finest works in all of Japanese art.
In this series, Hiroshige captures 118 locations in and around Edo, today's Tokyo, during all four seasons and often from hitherto unknown and unique perspectives. These views were first printed in exquisite luxury versions, incorporating innovative woodblock printing features like color gradation. No complete set of the early versions exists today and this is the first book to present a complete set of the deluxe early printings, sourced from 32 different museums and private collections.
Author Andreas Marks consulted 4,700 prints in compiling this volume in order to provide a definitive guide to the various printed versions along with reference images showing how and where Hiroshige sourced his ideas for each view--from previous books and illustrations. The result is a definitive guide to understanding the complexity of Hiroshige's great work as well as the dynamics of the Japanese print market during this period.
Marks' introduction discusses the genesis of the series in the context of Japanese landscape art as well as Hiroshige's personal biography. The book then presents all 118 prints together with their source materials and a map showing the locations of each view, followed by a detailed appendix discussing the great color variations found in subsequent printings of the series.
- GenresNonfictionArtJapan
320 pages, Hardcover
Published April 23, 2024
12 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 2, 2025
A stunning collection of Hiroshige's One Hundred (or so) Famous Views of Edo with brief supporting text for each print.
The overwhelming impression for myself, taking in one print per day, is the irreplaceable loss of Hiroshige's Edo buried beneath the urban mess of Modern Tokyo. Having lived in Tokyo as I had, and frequently re-visit, I am quite familiar with many of these areas, though not as they appear here. It's another layer to add to my mental picture of Tokyo, with a very small handful of images bearing any resemblance whatsoever to modern Tokyo. Everything else is gone, but preserved here. Sometimes accurately, sometimes fancifully. It's a valuable series of snapshots of a world lost forever that existed not that long ago in the grand scheme of things.
The overwhelming impression for myself, taking in one print per day, is the irreplaceable loss of Hiroshige's Edo buried beneath the urban mess of Modern Tokyo. Having lived in Tokyo as I had, and frequently re-visit, I am quite familiar with many of these areas, though not as they appear here. It's another layer to add to my mental picture of Tokyo, with a very small handful of images bearing any resemblance whatsoever to modern Tokyo. Everything else is gone, but preserved here. Sometimes accurately, sometimes fancifully. It's a valuable series of snapshots of a world lost forever that existed not that long ago in the grand scheme of things.
December 13, 2023
Very nice volume. Particularly liked the sketches included for each of the Views, alongside the descriptions. Good background/introduction provided, if a tad on the dry side. Interesting to see the variants, too, at the end.
November 16, 2025
I bought this after seeing an exhibit of Hiroshige's 100 Famous Views at the Art Inst. The prints themselves are gorgeous. And this book is a beautiful and thorough reference. There's a cool map of where the Views are in Tokyo! Treat yoself or give this as a gift to your favorite Nippon-ophile!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews